Wires
by alexa rosey
Summary: Mark teaches Ponyboy Curtis how to hotwire a car. That Was Then, This is Now tie-in.


**Author's Note:** Hey Everyone! I found this document last week … and alls I had was a summary. And I really, really wanted to finish it. I didn't know whether to post it or not, but I did.

It was a random idea. And it's usually how my fics go; it just comes to me at the most random times. I also couldn't come up with a very good title, but I tried.

I'm gonna stop talking now, and let you guys read. If you have concrit or anything like that, I'm very open to suggestions and appreciate help.

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own "The Outsiders" or "That was Then, This is Now" in any way.

**Title:** Wires

**Summary: **Mark teaches Ponyboy Curtis how to hotwire a car. (That Was Then, This is Now Twist)

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"_Hey," Bryon had said suddenly. I'd went to pick up his car for him, since he wouldn't have a way to get home. "How'd you start the car without any keys?" _

XXX

Ponyboy and Mark were standing behind a hamburger stand, the smoke and aroma of hot dogs and all sorts of fast foods filled the Ribbon.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Pony turned to Mark.

Mark was busy eyeing around for a decent car, as Socs and all kinds of people were jumping out of cars, talking, and exchanging phone numbers. "What, you've never hot-wired a car before?"

Pony shook his head. "No, not really. I've seen Soda an' Steve doing it sometimes, but that's it." He didn't really know if Darry would approve of him knowing how to hot-wire a car.

Though, Darry and Pony were getting alone just fine now, since everything happened. It was practically a year ago—was it? Yeah, it was. Time flies by so fast.

"Well, well then. You've come to the right man," Mark grinned.

"Aren't you on probation or somethin'?" Ponyboy had that feeling in his stomach. The kind of feeling that you know when something's going to go wrong, or that you're doing something you're not supposed to. Somewhat like guilt, almost.

Pony at least had somewhat of a sense of right and wrong. Mark didn't.

"There's nothing to worry about," Mark said, blithely.

"If you say so …"

"It'll be fine, now let's go," Mark went on. "I know where we can find ourselves a car."

XXX

"Tons of people park their cars here …" Mark scanned the place. It was like a parking lot, though it really wasn't; just a lot of cars, parked on a huge patch of grass. "Then they hitch a ride with the dozens of people they meet here."

Pony had been to the Ribbon, once or twice. Most of the time it was too much hustle and bustle for him. Man, and he thought the Dingo was bad. This place was just like it, except it was two miles long with a lot of stores and stuff. And _everyone_ hung out here.

"Take your pick," Mark said, motioning toward the cars. "We've got Chevys, Mustangs, and Corvairs. Nice, ain't it?"

"I feel like I'm with a car dealer," Pony gave a wry grin. "Alright, I'll take the … Mustang. Tuff enough."

"This should be a cinch." Mark walked over to the car, and opened the door. "Now, watch as I do." He sat in the car, and made himself comfortable.

"Are you sure you know how to do this?" Pony bent down and gave Mark an uncertain look. "What if we get caught?"

"Shoot, I've been doin' this since I was twelve." Mark ran his hands over the leather interior. "And Mark never gets caught." He smirked.

Pony just smiled. "Okay … let's get started, I guess. Before the guy that owns this car comes back and knocks the wind outta us."

"Alright, so here's what you do …" Mark explained, as he looked beneath the steering wheel. "I'm gonna take this piece off, under the wheel. Ya hear?"

Ponyboy nodded, and watched carefully as Mark removed the piece below the wheel. All sorts of wires were exposed; they were all kinds of colors, tangled up and everything.

"Now, see all these wires?" Mark said, grabbing a big chunk and showing them to Pony. Pony nodded, again. He knew if he tried this himself he'd probably screw it up, but he listened anyway.

Mark continued. "You gotta find the two ignition wires, the ones that start up the car. They're usually red, I guess, but you can't be too sure. Sometimes they'd have a plus and negative sign on them, and those are the ones you gotta put together. But remember,** don't touch anything else**. Got it?"

"Sure." Pony said, in a daze. He was still processing what Mark had just explained.

"Okay, now you have to tap 'em together. Like this," Mark tapped the two wires together, and the engine started up little by little. He licked his lips, concentrating. He was really into this stuff.

"Whoa," Pony raised his eyebrows. "It actually worked."

"I told ya so," Mark tapped the wires together once more, and the engine roared. "Now, hop in!"

Pony ran around to the other side of the car, and got in the passenger's seat. "I can't believe I'm doing this …" He said to himself, almost too loud.

"It'll be okay. We'll bring it back when we're done cruisin' around. And like I said, I _never_ get caught." Mark pressed on the gas pedal, and began to drive. "So if you're with _me_, you won't get caught either."

Pony sighed, and decided to just live a little. He made himself comfortable in the luxurious car; he'd never ridden in a Mustang. One time, no problem. He just couldn't get used to it, or he'd get himself into some big trouble.

They drove along, receiving some impressed looks from cute girls, and some envious looks from some guys. Funny thing that the car wasn't even theirs …

They stopped at a light, and Mark gave a short laugh. "I just wonder what the owner'll say when he comes back to find his car and sees wires hanging out from under the dash."

XXX

_I felt my ears get hot. "I hot-wired it," I said. "Mark showed me how weeks ago."_

_Bryon cracked a grin. "Don't make that a habit."_

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Yeah, like I said: Random Idea, once again. I was just thumbing through the pages through That Was Then, This is Now, and boom. I had a new plot bunny eating at me. So I had to write it.

For those of you that are reading this and don't know who Mark is … you should really check out S.E. Hinton's book, "That Was Then, This is Now". It's almost like a sequel, but it's not exactly a sequel. You'll see.

Thanks for reading :)

--Alexa, TheOutsidersLvr94


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